On Saturday night in the Pac-12 basketball league, the Arizona Wildcats take on the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Tournament title game.
TV Schedule: Saturday, Mar. 11, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
The Pac-12 Tournament Championship game will give us a match-up that will have a Final Four-like atmosphere. If you are an east-coaster who doesn’t typically stay up to watch these games, change that Saturday night when the Arizona Wildcats take on the Oregon Ducks.
These two teams could not be any closer in the Pac-12. Both teams finished the season with 29-4 records. Both teams were 16-2 in conference play. The only difference is that Oregon holds the tiebreaker with their lopsided 85-58 victory in their lone match-up this year.
Arizona has been playing very well as of late and have a handful of players to keep an eye on tonight. The one that might make the most noise tonight is freshman forward Lauri Markkanen. In their only game this year Markkanen might have had his worst game of the season, scoring 4 points on 1-5 shooting and grabbing 3 rebounds.
Last night Markkanen might have had his best game of the season, scoring 29 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in the Wildcats’ win over UCLA. If he continues this play tonight, he could be the factor that changes the outcome of this game.
Oregon went from losing two of their first four games to being ranked in the top-5 at the end of the season. The Ducks are hot and led by Junior Dillon Brooks. This Oregon team is as complete as any team in the country. They can score on offense, rebound, and defend very well. They will be a tough out in the NCAA Tournament, but they must first defeat a red-hot Arizona team.
Oregon is playing to make one last case for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament – or at least a case to stay out in the West Region. A win over Arizona could do just that. The Wildcats are playing very well as of late and are quietly one of the best teams in the country.
Next: Selection Sunday preview
Arizona has revenge on the mind for that blowout loss they suffered the last time these two teams met. Despite this, Oregon should win this game and complete their season as back-to-back Pac-12 Tournament champions. The Ducks are just too complete of a team. They can score and defend with any team in the nation and rarely make major mistakes. Because of this, the Ducks should win tonight and make the committee’s job just a little bit tougher tomorrow.
Prediction: Oregon 82, Arizona 78